Most people think of skips as being a place for waste and unloved items, so you may be surprised to hear about some of the rather unusual things that have found themselves in a skip over the years. Luckily, at Willshee’s there’s never normally anything out of the ordinary in our skips. But, because of our passion when it comes to all things waste disposal, the Willshee’s team have compiled a list of some of the craziest things to have been found in skips around the world.
Modern Art
Of course, when it comes to hiring a skip you’re usually planning on disposing of old items which are no longer of value. So, you’d be amazed at the valuable things that have been discovered in skips. It was in a Parisian skip back in 2011 where 5 pieces of modern art were discovered. After they were recovered the pieces were valued to be worth over £100 million!
Long-lost Films
When it comes to art, it’s not just paintings which have been recovered from skips; 2 lost film canisters of Peter Sellers films were found in one skip in London. The films complete with negatives, titles, show prints and outtakes were then restored and shown at the Southend Film Festival in 2014.
WWII Posters
A Geordie holiday maker in New York got more than just memories from his trip to the big apple when he retrieved a selection of discarded posters that caught his eye in a roadside skip. Upon returning to England the man discovered that they were in fact vintage posters from World War II with a valuation of more than £4000. Per poster!
Live Artillery
That’s not the only time WWII memorabilia has been found in a skip. Back in 2006, an artillery shell was uncovered in a skip in Cornwall. The device turned out to be live and expert bomb disposal specialists had to be called to remove it.
A Wedding Dress
War memorabilia isn’t the only kind to have been spotted in a skip. An entire collection of memories from someone’s wedding, complete with photo album, dress and more were found in a skip. We’re guessing that sadly that marriage didn’t end too well.
Rare Photographs
In 2006, never-before seen photos of the Tower Bridge under construction were found in a skip in by a caretaker. Dating back to 1892, the 50 prints depicted the construction of one of the most iconic bridges in the world. However, the man that stumbled upon the pictures didn’t know what to do with them and they ended up living under his bed for 5 years.
A Caravan
Perhaps most surprisingly a number of vehicles have even been found in skips. Whilst imagining how it ended up there is enough to give us a headache, an entire caravan was found in one skip in Wales!
A Rare Motorbike
A motorbike was discovered in another skip, and whilst it’s easier to understand how it might have got in there, why is another question. The motorbike turned out to be an exclusive model from the 1930s, which was one of only 65 ever made.
A Coffin
In a more sombre turn of events, a number of rather morbid items have also been found in skips in the past. In Norwich back in 2007 an entire coffin was found sticking out of a skip on a busy city street! Alarmed passers-by alerted authorities to the unusual load which was thankfully found to be empty.
If you’re thinking about having a clear out- hopefully not of live artillery or valuable artwork- then get in touch with Willshee’s. With years of experience in skip services we are here to help you with all your waste disposal needs. Visit our skip hire page for more information, or simply give us a call on 01283 702 340.
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